Pātua (bark basket)

This is a pātua (bark basket) made from the bark of the tōtara tree (Podocarpus totara). Used as presentation vessels for food,pātua weremade by steaming large pieces of tōtara bark to makethempliable, then crafting theminto this basket form. Sometimespātua were adorned with the feathers of birds to be served in the basket. This particular pātua was collected by Reverend Taylor and features hawk feathers on the handles.